Destiny is a Choice
by SundownZero
Summary: Naruto believes that destiny is what you make it. How much is he willing to sacrifice to fulfill his destiny? Can he make the right choices during tough times? Will he be able to face the second part of his life, or will he die trying? This is a story of betrayal, hate, forgiveness, and love. [Naruto and Original characters]
1. The Little Things

_Naruto is owned by and copyrighted by Masashi Kishimoto. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

The scant rays of sunlight peeking from the trees lit the living room. Everything was still and quiet. Hinata stood beside a knee-high, light brown, wooden center table. Her sublime white eyes stared at a bunch of purple hibiscuses she bought yesterday from Yamanaka Flowers. Ino told her that these flowers embody love and life, the things she always wanted for her family. She smiled, mesmerized by the enchanting beauty of the flowers.

Naruto, his blonde hair still wet after having a quick morning shower, walked towards her. He had noticed the flowers but didn't bother to give any compliment.

"Good morning!" he greeted.

"Good morning, honey!" she smiled.

Hinata's lovely eyes and innocent smile brought an unexpected sense of gratitude that warmed Naruto's heart. He blushed while he looked straight into her eyes and got lost in it for a while.

"You are the light of my life," he whispered, holding her in a tight, prolonged embrace. Naruto was feeling mushy, so he gave her a tender kiss on the forehead.

"Well, that's something," beamed Hinata. She returned her husband's gaze by locking her eyes on his cerulean blue eyes.

"It's too much love, I guess?" Naruto sheepishly answered while trying to hide a smile from his wife. He hurriedly walked towards the door and waved his hand. "Tell the kids I love them."

Hinata could not help but smile at her husband's boyish antics. She looked back at her flowers and humorously thought its effects manifested too fast.

Preparing breakfast for her family was one task she particularly enjoyed; her kids missing it makes her feel unappreciated.

Soon after she finished preparing, Himawari appeared behind her and gave her a warm hug.

"Good morning, mom!" Himawari greeted, shaking her mom while she kept her arms around her waist.

"Good morning!" laughed Hinata. "Go get your brother. It's time for breakfast."

* * *

Naruto squinted as the sun shone in his eyes, temporarily blinding him. He was on the road leading towards the Hokage's office when villagers happened to pass by. They were civilians ready to get the day started. People who recognize him bowed their heads in respect. He smiled and raised his right hand to acknowledge them. The people's warm reception made him feel happy, causing him to wander around the place for a while. It sparked a small fire of curiosity in his mind that made him deviate from his usual route and walk further to the village to check on its progress.

"Nanadaime-sama! Please remember to visit us once in a while!" someone shouted from a distance.

Naruto turned and recognized the woman standing in front of Ichiraku Ramen.

"Oh, it's you, Ayame. I'll visit Ichiraku soon. Tell old-man Teuchi I said hello." He can't believe it's been months since he last visited his favorite ramen shop.

Ayame smiled and waved. She went back inside in a hurry after a pair of customers called her attention, ready to order their meal.

Naruto observed the people who respect him now as Konohagakure's Hokage. It wasn't the same twenty-five years ago. He froze and fell deep into his thoughts, remembering how badly the people had treated him in the past. They feared, despised, hurt, and shunned him because he was the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi. It was depressing, and a small part of his heart still carries that pain to this day. Despite the harsh memories in his mind, he worked out a smile, having understood that everything that has happened made him into the man he is today.

* * *

Naruto stood by the door of his office as he took a deep breath before entering the room. As he opened the door, the handle made a sharp, irritating sound akin to a blade scraping against a glass bottle. It bothered him every time someone entered his office, and at some point, he almost even tried using a Rasengan on it.

A towering pile of paperwork on his desk greeted him as he walked towards his table.

"Oh man, this needs serious work!" he sighed.

He sat on his chair and rested his head on its soft, high backrest. His mind was yearning for a dose of positivity when he gazed at the portraits of the earlier Hokage that hung on the wall. After looking at each one, his eyes went back to the Yondaime Hokage's image.

"Dad, I hope I made you proud," Naruto whispered. "Your time as Hokage of our village was short, but you still created a meaningful impact on everyone in Konohagakure. You were amazing. I will honor your life by working hard to keep the peace that we've achieved. You know I won't falter, because this is my ninja way." He put his fist on his chest and bowed his head.

* * *

Naruto was busy doing paperwork when someone opened the door and made that dreadful noise again.

"Hey, Shikamaru, can you please have someone repair that broken handle? It's killing me!" he implored as he saw his friend and right-hand man enter the room.

"I'm surprised that little things bother you. I'll have that handle fixed," said Shikamaru, amused by Naruto's pitiful state.

"The little things... The little things we enjoy today are the fruits of our hard work and determination," said Naruto, standing up from his chair. He walked towards the window and opened it, allowing in a cool, gentle breeze inside the room. "We worked very hard to achieve this peace that we have now."

Shikamaru knew that the Hokage was in a sentimental mood. He liked it when Naruto speaks his thoughts out loud. "The Nanadaime Hokage is more than capable of protecting Konohagakure's future. Asuma, my efforts are worth it," he thought, reminded of his late sensei. For him, Naruto has the strongest will to protect the King.

"Naruto, Family Day is in three weeks. We better finish the paperwork soon," said Shikamaru, attempting to set the proper work mood. "Today, we need to discuss the event's security details."

"And that handle!" Naruto added.

"Yes, and that damn handle."

"Very well. What is your plan for the event?"

His friend walked towards the gray wooden bookshelf on his left and searched the stack of documents, folders, and envelopes lying on top of it. He picked a few and examined the contents of each one with diligence.

"Here." Shikamaru pulled a worn green envelope marked as Family Day Security and handed it over to Naruto. The Hokage pulled out a document and scanned its contents.

"So, you want every shinobi, including the Anbu, to shorten their shifts so everyone can enjoy Family Day?" he asked while pointing at the middle section of the document.

Shikamaru nodded. "We will shorten the shifts to six hours so every Konohagakure shinobi can enjoy the celebration. It will also need sacrifice from other shinobi. We will shorten day-offs and require them to report back a tad earlier. They can offset their schedules the day after the event to resolve issues."

"And the missions?"

"We will only allow emergency or urgent missions. The other missions can wait." Shikamaru went back to the bookshelf and leaned against it. "I have a slight concern, though," he said.

"Okay, what's eating you?"

"The last Family Day was a resounding success, and it sure has strengthened family bonds in the village."

"Isn't that great or what?"

"It sure was great. But people from other lands are coming. They also wish to experience the Family Day festivities, so we are expecting at least two thousand tourists for the event. The shortened shifts will prevent our shinobi from being too tired or pre-occupied if a sudden attack should happen. We need to be alert during the celebration."

Naruto nodded and agreed with Shikamaru's assessment. "We must be ready to guard and protect the village."

* * *

A secret meeting is being held inside a cave somewhere. The place was dark and mysterious enough to avoid unwanted eavesdropping on confidential discussions.

"This peace that we have will lead us to our doom." The man in a dark-gray, hooded robe spoke as he placed his torch on a nearby sconce.

The crowd of around eighty people wearing black robes maintained a deafening silence while waiting for the man's next words.

"Our goal is to lead our land to power and prosperity, not to its destruction and demise. What Shinobi Kakumei-gun needs is to raise power and a force strong enough to instill fear among other nations. Without this kind of power, others won't respect us, for nothing will keep them honest. This shallow peace that we have shall cause our downfall."

The crowd nodded in agreement.

"Our decisions and actions today decide the fate of our families and loved ones," asserted the man, launching his fist upward.

"The Sukuinushi is right. We need to act now," someone shouted from the crowd.

"I need your patience, my brothers and sisters. The appointed time is drawing nigh. We must destroy so we can rebuild." With these words, the Sukuinushi disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

The scattered papers and envelopes were everywhere when an Anbu shinobi appeared in the Hokage's office.

"Hokage-sama," addressed the Anbu, kneeling on one knee. "We have received a report on a potential infiltration during the Family Day festivities."

"Go on," said Naruto, gazing at the shinobi's worn mask. It reminded him of Yamato, and he finds it similar to what his old captain wore. He noticed this one has a tiny chip on the chin and a strange, brown spiral stain under the right eye-hole.

"The report says a group of shinobi attempts to infiltrate Konohagakure on Family Day. It also warned us of spies within our ranks, enemies who intend to learn our weakness and exploit it at a particular time. A comrade sent in the message but died while sending a hawk to us."

"I see. Summon Shikamaru and Sai. I suppose there's more to this threat than what we've learned."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" The Anbu disappeared in smoke, leaving Naruto pondering in his chair.

* * *

A loud noise downstairs awakened a sleeping Ino. She got up and rushed to the living room and saw her expensive, pearl-white porcelain vase broken into pieces.

"What in the world?" fumed Ino, her messy hair still covering a part of her face. It was last night when she placed her new vase on the brown, cedar end table so she could imagine what it would look like if it had flowers in it. "This turned out to be a very unpleasant morning," she thought, containing her anger over the broken vase.

She went inside the kitchen to get a broom, determined to clean up the mess. While she was walking back towards the broken vase, she figured that Sai wasn't around. She tried checking the entire house and the shop, but she couldn't find him. "Where is he?" she whispered as she went back inside the house, the broom still in her hand.

"Good morning, beautiful," smiled Sai, happy to see his wife.

"Good morning," Ino replied, walking to her husband. "Where have you been?"

"I can't sleep, so I went outside for a morning walk. What happened here?" Sai leaned towards Ino and snatched the broom from her hand. "I'll clean this up, you take a shower," he said with his usual smile. He turned around and started sweeping the pieces of the broken vase.

Ino gave her husband a tight embrace, prompting Sai to smile and drop the broom in his hand. He turned around and brushed his fingers through her platinum blonde hair, his onyx eyes meeting her charming, blue eyes.

"You'd always be beautiful in my heart, love," Sai said as he gave Ino a gentle kiss on her lips. He remembered how she saved him from the darkness when Gengo captured him in Shijima no Kuni. "Thank you for being there to care for me," he said as Ino stayed still.

Ino felt tears in her eyes.

"I love you, Sai. I'll always be by your side," she whispered, resting her head on her husband's chest. She was enjoying her husband's warmth until she turned her head towards the window and noticed an Anbu standing outside the house.

"The Nanadaime Hokage summons you to his office, Sai-sama," said the Anbu, looking at Sai. "It's very urgent."

Ino sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'll shower later," she said while she picked the broom from the floor and started cleaning.

"Okay, I better get going. I'll see you and Inojin tonight for dinner."

After giving his wife a quick kiss on the cheek, Sai and the Anbu went ahead to the Hokage's office.

"I hope there's nothing I need to worry about," she sighed, dropping the broom on the floor.

* * *

The repairman left the door open to deter any undesired noise as he worked on the handle.

"I did it!" the man shouted as he pulled out a thin metal rod from the handle.

"Good job, you're done!" Naruto exclaimed in celebration.

"Oh no, not yet, Hokage-sama! I just removed a defective part from the handle. I was struggling to remove it for the past hour!"

"The past hour? Great," he said, annoyed by the repairman's slow progress.

Boredom hit Naruto hard, so he drew sheep on a paper he picked up at random. He was on his twelfth sheep when he almost fell from his chair as the repairman shouted out loud.

"It's repaired, Hokage-sama!"

"Oh, thank Kami." Naruto sighed in relief. As the repairman left, Sai arrived, followed by Shikamaru.

"We might have a problem on Family Day," he said. He shared the report to the two, eager to learn what their strategy was.

"This is nothing new to us. I think we can handle this like we always do." As the Anbu Director, Sai has encountered similar threats, making him adept at preventing serious matters from getting out of hand.

Naruto nodded and turned his head to Shikamaru.

"We shouldn't relax too much," the Hokage's advisor warned. "It's obvious that the perfect moment for causing trouble is on Family Day because we will be busy for sure. The worst part is if there was someone who leaked the security details to them, though I can't tell if that's the case."

"Leaked, you say?" asked a bothered Naruto. "Sai, how is the Anbu doing? I see no meaningful missions for them in these times of peace, but they aren't getting rusty or slow, right?"

"The Anbu continues to help patrol the borders and watch the village from the shadows. In case the village needs us, we will heed the call," smiled Sai. "There's no need to worry."

"Can we ask Sasuke to come back?" asked Naruto.

"We can ask him to spend time and celebrate Family Day with Sakura and Sarada," said Shikamaru. "We might worry less if he is here."

"Right, you know I trust you both." Naruto smiled and stood up from his chair. "If something comes up, don't forget to give me an update. Now, it's time for my ramen fix."

* * *

Naruto gazed at his Miso Chashu Pork ramen in its glory. His face was sweating, caused by the warm steam coming from the rich broth. It has been months since he last had ramen from Ichiraku, and he made sure his visit satisfied him. He finished six bowls in a short time and was ready to return to his office.

As he went outside the shop, he stopped and watched while the clouds gathered in the sky, blocking the sun's golden rays. Instead of going straight to the office, he had a quick trip to Hokage-iwa. In a few minutes, he was standing on top of the Yondaime Hokage's large rock monument. He took a deep breath as he enjoyed the view of the village, a place of his bittersweet memories. Shikamaru's arrival cut his nostalgic trip down memory lane short.

"I think something's up," said Naruto.

"I figured," answered Shikamaru, playing with his lighter. "Sometimes, you can't help but think who's foolish enough to dare challenge the greatest shinobi nation on earth."

"Yeah," he chuckled. "But we know battles alone can't eliminate every threat. As much as I want to stay true to my values, politics has its way of creeping in."

"Well, that's my job. I'd make sure you see every facet so you can decide on what's best for our village." Shikamaru lit a cigarette and sat. "When do you plan to talk to Sai on your plans for the Anbu?"

"Let's make the most out of our upcoming Family day," replied Naruto, sitting beside Shikamaru as they both gazed at the clouds. "We'll talk of the Anbu's fate later."

* * *

Hinata and Himawari met with Ino at Konohagakure Shopping Mall. The two wives agreed to get their husbands a gift when Hinata stopped by and bought the hibiscus flowers from Ino's shop weeks ago. It's the day before the Family Day celebration, and both are excited to honor their husbands for their hard work and dedication.

"I hope he likes this," whispered Hinata.

"Don't worry. Naruto is a man of gratitude. He's always thankful for everything. And besides, you're not giving him a cheap gift," said Ino, winking at her.

Himawari smiled at her mom's friend and gave Hinata a nudge.

"Thank you, Ino. Himawari and I will go ahead. We still need to go somewhere. I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow!"

The two mothers said their goodbyes and parted ways.

* * *

"The sky is dark, it might rain later," thought Hinata. She placed a flower on Neji's grave, and the two paid their respects. "Brother Neji, please guide us always," she whispered.

Memories of her late cousin flooded her mind. Other aspects of her relationship complicated her thoughts and feelings for him. If he were alive, the elders would have required him to marry her. The Hyuga clan keeps marriages within the families to preserve their pure bloodline. A younger Neji had viewed destiny as a fixed path, but it wasn't the same for her. She loved him as a brother, and she knows in her heart that she will still choose Naruto even if she goes against her father's wishes. After spending time on her cousin's grave, she decided it's time to leave.

She held Himawari's hand tight as they started their way home. The afternoon skies grew darker, and the rain was about to fall. As they passed the cemetery gates, four masked shinobi encircled them. The group wore black, hooded robes, and Kohime Noh masks covered their faces. She tried using Byakugan to see their chakra points but saw nothing. Never in her life did she imagine that some shinobi can hide their chakra to confuse and avoid being detected by their enemies. The threat was in front of her, but she was unafraid and intent on protecting her daughter.

Before she could react, Hinata felt a chill that made her dizzy and weak. It was a jutsu that weakened her muscles and suspended her movement. She tried hard but wasn't able to turn her head to check on Himawari, who sat in fear crying while pulling her mother's arm. She felt helpless as another enemy moved to attack her with chakra needles from a short distance. In a few moments, she felt an intense sting on her neck, spine, and both thighs.

"Hima..." Hinata called as she fell on the ground, fighting the urge to close her eyes.

It started to rain...


	2. Signs

_Naruto is owned by and copyrighted by Masashi Kishimoto. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

"Hinata!" Naruto cried as he saw his wife's unresponsive body on the ground. He moved towards Hinata and held her as he tried to wake her up, her motionless body wrapped in his arms. While he was busy getting his wife to her senses, he remembered that Himawari went with her mother to visit Neji's grave. His eyes moved side to side, looking for her daughter when Sakura appeared beside him.

"Himawari's safe, she's with Boruto," comforted the medic-nin as she kneeled to check on Hinata. "She's alive, but there's something wrong with her. We need to bring her to the emergency room right away!" Sakura held Hinata's hand while asking other medic-nins to bring Hinata to the hospital. After a few preparations, Sakura and the medic team secured Hinata and went on their way.

The Anbu were conducting their investigation when Sai and Shikamaru arrived. The two of them saw Naruto standing at the spot where he found Hinata. After they talked to the Anbu, they both went to talk to Naruto.

"I'm sorry for not being able to prevent this attack, Nanadaime-sama." apologized Sai, as he stood in dismay of his failure to fulfill his duties.

"Hinata and Himawari could have died," Naruto howled. "How could I've been so careless?"

"Naruto, we need to wait for the result of the investigations. You check on Hinata now. I'll make sure the Anbu guards the kids while you're away." Shikamaru urged his friend, putting his hands on Naruto's shoulder. "We'll find out who did this."

"I can't believe I was so careless," lamented Naruto, distraught with what happened earlier. "Shikamaru, we must classify this incident as top-secret. No one in Konohagakure should know what happened here other than the ones involved in the medical and investigation teams. Family Day was established to celebrate joy and togetherness. Let's keep it that way." As Naruto gave the instructions, he vanished in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

Naruto was still teary-eyed as he looked at his wife, hoping to see signs of recovery. Sakura, Hiashi Hyuga, and Kakashi Hatake stood by, watching over Hinata in the hospital room. Hinata's father, Hiashi, felt helpless while he looked at his poor daughter lying on the hospital bed.

"Hinata has little chakra left," lamented the gray-haired Hyuga.

"What do you mean?" asked Naruto.

"There is little chakra left within her body that keeps her alive. Whoever did this siphoned most of her chakra from her body."

"I've seen this one before," said Kakashi. "If I'm not mistaken, a group of shinobi used the Soul Paralysis jutsu on Hinata."

"Soul Paralysis jutsu?" Sakura asked. "What made you think a group did this?"

"Soul Paralysis needs four people to do the jutsu. It requires a massive amount of chakra to pull it off. This jutsu affects your body by limiting the amount of chakra circulation. Once the jutsu activates, physical and mental paralysis will take effect. It will eat away your chakra at a slow rate until you…"

"Until you die," Naruto interrupted.

"Unfortunately, yes," Kakashi confirmed.

Naruto stared at the floor. He felt responsible for what happened to Hinata and Himawari. It was clear that he underestimated the current threat to the village. No matter what and whatever it takes, he needs to preserve the peace.

"I've already given instructions to Sai and Shikamaru. We must keep this incident confidential, panic is the last thing we want. Tomorrow is Family Day, and we expect the village to celebrate. Sakura, please inform all medical-nin and hospital personnel of the incident's confidential nature."

"Okay," answered Sakura.

"Now, please."

Sakura gave him a stern look, but the sad and troubled look on her friend's face reminded her of the gravity of the situation. She calmly went outside as she realized the weight of Naruto's pain and his responsibility to the village.

* * *

Naruto's shadow clone stayed home with Boruto and Himawari. Both Boruto and the clone did their best to console Himawari, for she never stopped crying over what happened to her and her mother. After they got her to clean herself up, they stayed in Boruto's room. The clone moved Himawari close to him and let her rest her head on his chest while she sobs. He brushed his fingers through her hair to comfort her while he stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Himawari's asleep now," Boruto said, looking at the clone.

"Oh, I see. Boruto, I'm sorry I can't have my original self come home."

"It's okay. I understand what's happening. I know you're a shadow clone, but I can't call you Shadow Clone Dad, it doesn't sound right. Um, can I call you, Dad?"

"It's fine. I'm still Naruto. You know how this works, right?" The clone smiled.

Boruto nodded his head.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"I know you are the Hokage of Konohagakure. I understand your duty to our village and its people. Are you really sure you can protect everyone in the village, even if something awful already happened to Mom and Himawari?"

The clone looked at Boruto. Of course, he can. He's Naruto Uzumaki, the savior of the Shinobi world.

"Yes, but I can't do it alone," the clone answered. "We shinobi exist to protect our village."

"But still…"

"Don't worry. Everything will be okay."

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"I remember you saying that everyone in the village is your family. If you have to choose, who will you protect first? The village, or us?"

"I…"

* * *

Ino moved her arms to embrace Sai, only to find no one beside her.

"He's not here," she worried. Ino got up and went downstairs without making a sound. The house was dark, and she didn't want to turn on the lights, lest she catches Sai's attention. She cautiously made her way to the living room and saw her husband. In the room's corner, Sai sat facing the wall. "This again?" She recalled how many times Sai has been getting up because of never-ending nightmares. She was walking towards her husband when she felt a sinister and hateful chakra coming from him, and it stopped her from her tracks. "It's getting worse. I need to do something!" Ino thought, trying to get herself together.

Ino positioned herself directly behind Sai. She was about to use Shintenshin no Jutsu on her husband when he turned and faced her with his usual smile.

"Oh hi, love. I'm sorry if I woke you up," he said as he got up from the living room floor.

Ino knew something was wrong, but she tried to compose herself.

"You're still having those nightmares?" she asked.

"Yeah, every once in a while. It's getting much more frequent lately, though."

"Is there something troubling you?"

"I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

Ino stood beside the light brown, wooden dining table, still keeping her guard. It's the first time she felt that evil chakra from her husband, and she wants to know why and how it got inside him.

"You seem out of it lately."

"I do? Aaargh!" Sai groaned as he fell on the floor. The pain in his head made him twist and turn uncontrollably.

"I have to do it now!" Ino shouted as she used Shintenshin no Jutsu on Sai. Sai stopped screaming in pain while Ino's body dropped near his.

Ino is in a cold, dark place. She knew she's inside Sai's thoughts, and it surprised her that even after all these years, darkness and solitude still dominate his consciousness. As she walked in the dark abyss of her husband's mind, she arrived at a forest with huge, dead trees. A mist blanketed the area, reducing her field of vision. Slow steps and careful movement allowed her to move forward when out of nowhere, a voice called to her.

"What are you doing here?"

Ino turned and saw Sai, but this one appeared empty and dull.

"What's happened to you?" she asked.

"Nothing happened to me. I am who I was. I am who I will always be."

"Are you the same Sai who owns my heart?"

"I am Sai, yet I am not Sai."

"What are you talking about?" a confused Ino asked. "Let's fix this, whatever this is."

"The one you call Sai, the weak one, shall be destroyed and rebuilt."

After hearing those words, it brought Ino to another place. She was inside a huge concrete building, and in a moment, a familiar figure appeared.

"It's Lord Danzo!" she exclaimed as she watched one of Sai's memories. The Root raised Sai to be their human weapon, rigidly modeled to have no personality or identity. He doesn't exist. He's one of Danzo's pawns, an ideal shinobi for doing work that doesn't require dignity, integrity, and respect. Sai was just a tool to fulfill his superior's desires, but it doesn't make him evil or good.

As more unpleasant memories flash before her eyes, a glimmering sphere on her right caught her attention. She heard laughter and sensed happiness inside it. As she walked towards the glowing ball, a strong force pulled her to another gloomy place. It was Sai's memory of Sasuke as a rogue shinobi. Sai saw how Naruto and Sakura risked their lives to bring the Uchiha back to Konohagakure. He felt that Sasuke does not deserve friends like Naruto and Sakura, noting that his sins are more than the cost of the Uchiha losing his life a thousand times over. Even to this day, Sai holds that ill-feeling against Sasuke.

Another memory showed Sai speaking to Shikamaru. "This was in the Shijima no Kuni," Ino recognized. It revealed Sai's issue over Naruto and Sasuke's bonds as friends and teammates. He told Shikamaru that he was a member of Team 7 as well, but when Gengo captured and held him, Naruto didn't bother to rescue him. He felt that Naruto didn't care as much about him as he did with the Uchiha. He realized that he was just an insignificant substitute on Team 7.

Absorbing Sai's negative memories weakened Ino. The dark nature of his past was too much a burden for anyone to bear. She tried to press further to know more of what's going on inside her husband's thoughts when suddenly, everything went black.

* * *

It was early in the morning, and Naruto was already in his office. The dimly lit room had scattered papers and envelopes on the table and the floor. He was eager to gain more information about the ongoing threat and deal with it as soon as possible. Thoughts of the attack on his wife and daughter haunted him. He can't believe that Naruto Uzumaki, the great war hero, wasn't capable of protecting his own family. "Where's the glory in that, huh?" he thought, disgusted by his lenience.

An hour had passed, and Naruto was still processing his thoughts. He had questions that needed answers, and he felt that the situation got into him real bad. As it plunged his mind into more chaos, he almost succumbed to the thought of smashing his table to pieces. It was then when he saw Sai enter his office.

"Good morning, Nanadaime-sama." greeted Sai.

"Good morning, you're early," responded Naruto with less enthusiasm.

"I've had trouble sleeping. I figured you'd be here, so I went straight away. Anyway, I've gathered information about the attackers."

"Tell me what you got."

"Our investigation led us to a secret group called Shinobi Kakumei-gun. The group members are active and former shinobi who wanted a revolution against the current system."

"So, they're revolutionaries. Why did they attack Hinata?"

"We still have no leads on that. All I know is they will continue to cause trouble until a certain time. It's difficult to assign any Anbu to investigate since we have doubts about their integrity. However, the risk is there, and we can't sit around and wait for the next attack."

"It seems spies were already in our village. How do you plan on purging the Anbu?"

"We can't let them know that we suspect spies are operating within our village. I'll assign each Anbu to watch each other's movements. It might slow the investigation down and cause animosity within our ranks, but the rewards are greater than the risk."

"I agree."

"And besides, if one spy is someone we know, what will you do?"

Naruto fell silent and sighed. "We'll cross the bridge when we get there."

It wasn't long when Shikamaru arrived. It surprised him that the two were discussing strategy so early in the morning.

"I thought I was early, but here you are, guys."

"Sai was disclosing the intelligence he gathered about yesterday's attackers," said Naruto as he relayed Sai's information to him.

"So, what's up?" Sai asked, looking at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru moved closer and started picking up envelopes lying on the floor.

"I had a little talk with Kakashi and Sakura."

"Go on," said an eager Naruto.

"The Soul Paralysis jutsu used on Hinata is fatal. If not for Sakura and other medic-nins' healing chakra, Hinata's chakra level could have dropped to a critical level that could cause death."

Naruto felt a sharp pain in his heart, knowing time wasn't on his side.

"The medics also found tiny holes on Hinata's neck, lower back, and both thighs, made by poisoned chakra needles," continued Shikamaru. "They believe it was those needles that plunged her into an unconscious state. The jutsu is still a mystery. We need to locate the casters and force them to reverse the jutsu."

A depressing silence crept inside the room. Shikamaru knew that it's not another Shinobi World War, but since it involved the Hokage's wife and daughter, it made the threat equally alarming.

"We move tomorrow," said a determined Naruto. "The both of you should spend time with your families today. I'll stay with Boruto and Himawari for a while. Shikamaru, do we have any news on Sasuke? I think we might need him."

"We have news that Sasuke will drop by the village today to spend time with his family," replied Shikamaru. "I can arrange for Sasuke to meet you."

"Yes. Tell Sasuke to meet me at my house tonight."

Naruto ended the meeting so Sai and Shikamaru could enjoy the rest of the day. The two were about to leave when Sai nearly fell and leaned on the wall. He placed hands on his head and grimaced in pain.

"Are you okay?" Shikamaru asked.

"This damn tension headache…" complained Sai, massaging the back of his head. "It'll be gone soon. I just need some sleep."

"Make sure you rest up. Today is a special day. Take care, you two." said Naruto, trying to keep his curiosity in check as he noticed blood on the back of Sai's sleeve.

* * *

Ino opened her eyes and saw Inojin gently tapping her shoulder, trying to wake her up. She tried to get up, but her head was throbbing in pain, and her body felt drained of energy.

"Can you get me a glass of cold water, please?"

"Sure, mom. Are you sick?" Inojin sighed as he filled the glass with water. "We're supposed to go out. It's Family Day today."

Ino was so disoriented that she almost forgot today was Family Day.

"We are going," she replied. "Where's your Dad?"

"Dad isn't..."

"I'm here! Are you ready to go?" interrupted Sai. He walked towards Ino and kissed her forehead. "What's the matter? Is there something wrong?"

She looked at him and tried to sense his chakra. She felt nothing out of the ordinary. Her recollection of her travel within her husband's mind was too vivid, leaving her confused. "I was just dreaming," she thought.

"Hey," Sai called her attention, putting his index finger on the tip of her nose.

"Sorry… Morning headaches…" she said.

"Maybe it's because of last night. I saw you in the living room."

"Did you?" she gasped, feeling a spine-tingling fear.

"Yes. You were sleepwalking!" chuckled Sai. "I woke up when I thought I heard someone going down the stairs. I checked, and I saw you lying on the floor. So, I carried you back to our bed."

"Maybe it was just a nightmare," she thought. "Thank you, love."

Sai smiled and looked at Inojin. "Go get ready. We leave in 10 minutes."

* * *

Naruto Uzumaki was like a gold member in Konohagakure Hospital. He can hardly count the times he spent here, trying to recover from dangerous battles. This time, it wasn't him lying on the bed. It was his wife, the mother of his children, his sunshine, his life. He smiled as he watched his wife's gentle face, her skin smooth and delicate as ever.

"I love you," he whispered while he held and kissed her hand.

He thought about a lot of things, from the time he was a little boy screaming he would be Hokage one day, and today, him as Hokage watching his unconscious wife. The recollection of the questions he's yet to answer came to his mind.

_"I remember you saying that everyone in the village is your family. If you have to choose, who will you protect first? The village, or us?"_

_"And besides, if one spy is someone we know, what will you do?" _

Naruto searched his heart and answered. "I don't know."

Being Hokage was his childhood dream. He became Hokage and fulfilled his dream, but what about his destiny? Everything was okay until recently, where an attack was carried out on his wife and daughter by a group of revolutionary shinobi.

"Is this what I really wanted?" he asked. He felt something was missing, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

He gave Hinata a gentle kiss on the lips and held her hand firmly.

"I'll go stay with the kids now. Don't worry, honey. I'll fix this. I promise everything will be okay."

* * *

As Naruto approached his house, he probed the surroundings to check if the Anbu was still on active guard duty. He was pleased to see six of them stealthily guarding the house.

He went straight to Boruto's room when he arrived and saw his two children sleeping beside each other. He noticed Himawari's eyes swelling, probably from crying since she missed her mom. His eyes teared up when he saw her hand holding Boruto's hand tightly as if she was scared to be left alone.

"My children…" Naruto sobbed, kneeling beside the bed, feeling utterly useless for not being able to protect his family.

"Dad?" Boruto asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, Boruto. I was just…"

Boruto eased Himawari and got out the bed. He kneeled in front of his father and gave him a comforting embrace.

"I know, Dad. I believe you when you said that everything would be okay."

"Yeah, I promise." Naruto smiled and touched his belly.

"I'm hungry. Do you want some ramen?"

"Okay, sure."

Naruto kissed Himawari, and he put a blanket on her. The both of them went downstairs to prepare their ramen.

As they enjoyed their food, the two talked about the time when Boruto traveled back in time with Sasuke to save Naruto.

"You were too eager to become Hokage, Dad."

"Yeah," Naruto remembered his childhood. "I wanted to become Hokage so I can protect…" Naruto stopped as he felt guilty of being short of his promise to protect everyone.

"Have you ever thought you'd marry mom?"

"Honestly, no. A girlfriend is hard to find during my day," joked Naruto.

"Dad. If this is the price I have to pay to become Hokage, then there's no way I'd become one. I don't want to, anyway," said Boruto as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

"I understand," Naruto replied, giving thought to Boruto's words. He gave Boruto a pat on the head and urged him to finish his food.

Naruto was in deep thoughts again when he heard a knock on the door. He pushed his half-eaten ramen as he stood and walked towards the front door. Naruto felt relieved after opening the door and seeing the Shadow Hokage standing in front of him.

"Shikamaru said you wanted to see me."


	3. Our Destiny

_Naruto is owned by and copyrighted by Masashi Kishimoto. No copyright infringement intended._

* * *

The relaxing aroma of Hojicha engulfed the house, the tea's soothing properties making its way to Sai's senses. He and his family arrived an hour ago from an exhausting but satisfying family celebration. Strange thoughts are swimming in his mind, making him feel restless as he waited for his evening tea. He laid on the sofa to loosen up, his feet resting on a small pillow. A tight, throbbing pain on the back of his head was making him feel uncomfortable. Panic was the last thing he wanted Ino to experience now, so he closed his eyes and fervently hoped that the pain would go away.

Sai was slowly drifting to sleep when he felt Ino's hand, which were unusually soft for a shinobi of her age and experience, touch his forehead.

"Here's your tea, love," said Ino, putting the teacup on the center table.

"Thank you," smiled Sai. He held her hand and pulled himself up the sofa.

"We had a wonderful time today," beamed Ino.

"Yeah, it was a fun time. I never knew what I was missing until I saw Inojin not so little anymore," smiled Sai while he reached for his tea.

"Time goes by so fast it makes the past feel like it was just yesterday. Who knew I would be here giving you tea," joked Ino while she moved closer and sat beside her husband.

"Ino," Sai called her attention quietly, putting his arm around Ino's shoulder.

"Yes, love?"

"We're both shinobi of Konohagakure, right?"

"Of course, why?" asked Ino.

Sai placed his teacup on the table and stood. "Have you ever thought of our fate as shinobi?"

"I haven't given it much thought. What are you trying to tell me?"

"I want you to enter my mind and navigate through my thoughts. _He_ will tell you everything."

"He? Who's he?" Ino shivered, moving away from her husband.

"Please, do it, so my suffering could stop. I can't bear it any longer," begged Sai as he knelt, his bowed head touching the floor.

* * *

"Do you want ramen?" Naruto offered his friend as they sat across each other in the dining table.

"No, thanks," refused Sasuke.

"It's good that you found time to spend the celebrations with Sakura and Sarada."

"I've decided to come home every Family Day if I can. I wouldn't want to see my daughter grow up with fragmented memories of me."

"Right…"

Sasuke looked around and saw the untidy surroundings. He realized his friend needs someone to talk to right now.

"Sakura told me everything about Hinata. Is there anything else I need to know?"

Naruto shared everything with his best friend, obviously bothered by his current predicament.

The Uchiha's onyx eyes stared at Naruto, analyzing the situation and his reactions.

"You're at a crossroads," said Sasuke.

"Crossroads? What do you mean?"

"What do you want in life, Naruto?"

"Since I was a kid, all I wanted was to be Hokage."

"Now that you are Hokage, what else do you want?"

"I want to protect the village! I want to keep the peace in Konohagakure so no one can hurt our people."

Sasuke stood up and moved towards the shelf behind him, picking up the Uzumaki family photo on top of it.

"Naruto. Now is the time to ask yourself what you can do beyond being Konohagakure's Hokage."

Sasuke's words shocked Naruto.

"Beyond being Hokage?"

"You think about it hard. Only you can answer that. Once you've figured it out, your destiny lies waiting according to your choices." Sasuke returned the photo on the shelf and started walking to the door. "I'll rest for tonight. I'll investigate tomorrow."

* * *

Ino felt Sai's sincere request for her to help him end his suffering. She held Sai's left arm and looked him in the eye.

"I will do anything to help you. You need to trust me. If the odds of saving you is a million to one, I will take that chance over and over again," said Ino as she prepared herself to navigate Sai's mind once more.

The same cold and dark place inside Sai's mind welcomed Ino. She was trying to get past the misty forest when a familiar voice called her attention. It was the other Sai looking at her as if he expected Ino's return.

"What do you want with my Sai?" raged Ino as she pointed her finger at the entity across her.

"In your last visit to this place, I've told you that the Sai you knew shall be destroyed and rebuilt," it answered.

Ino tried to escape and look for the real Sai, but she got caught by the Choshin Giga jutsu.

"Now, I'll show you everything you need to know," said the other Sai, flashing all the dark memories for Ino to see.

She saw her husband's struggle with his memories as a member of Konohagakure's Root, under Danzo's tutelage. He tried to suppress those memories and replaced them with pleasant thoughts. Ino understood Sai's indifference to Sasuke, all because of his understanding of Naruto's sadness. He admired how his former teammate preserved his bond with Sasuke, and he hates it when Naruto gets hurt because of the Uchiha's evil resolve. Sai envied Sasuke because of Naruto's overwhelming protection of their bonds, doubting that Naruto will never give him the same concern even if he considers Sai, his friend. During his capture in Shijima no Kuni, Gengo used his genjutsu to trigger these dark emotions and break him to accept Gengo's will. Sai's dark past remained deep in his heart and mind, making him susceptible to mental and emotional manipulations. He tried his best to cover every part of the darkness within him by receiving positive emotions through his friendship with his comrades in Konohagakure.

Having seen those memories, Ino understood why Sai has been having nightmares and constant headaches.

"The entity inside Sai's mind is a product of his dark past and experience. It's trying to take over Sai's body and lock the real Sai forever," thought Ino.

Ino was struggling to escape from the clutches of the Choshin Giga when she saw the glimmering sphere again. This time, it floated and stopped in front of her. A flash of blinding white light brought her to another memory. It was Sai's recollection of his brother, Shin. She saw papers with drawings of two little boys, depicted as best friends. Her mood lightened a little as she adored seeing two boys that treat each other as a family. While the happy memories engulfed her, the dark Sai appeared.

"Do you like what you see?"

"Let me go! I want to see Sai!"

"How foolish of you to even say that, knowing that I have no intention of letting you see him. You won't be able to see him, but I will let you go."

After hearing those words, she saw Sai's most recent memories.

"No. No! It can't be," muttered a broken Ino. "How can you do this?"

"The events unfolding now are inevitable. You promised to stand and never leave my side. Together, we shall set up a new system that will end our fear of having a dark future. Will you come with me?"

Ino could not speak and was already howling in fear, terribly shocked by what she saw.

* * *

Sasuke was about to leave when he and Naruto heard a loud explosion. It came from the direction of the Konohagakure Memorial. The two men rushed towards the place of the blast, only to be greeted by dead bodies piled together. Sasuke immediately checked the surroundings for a possible enemy ambush while Naruto inspected the bodies. He noticed that the victims had their foreheads marked with the words: Heiwa. After a while, Sasuke returned and handed a note he found pinned to a nearby tree to Naruto. The note says:

_The Shinobi Kakumei-gun shall restore true peace with real power. The Nanadaime Hokage may choose to be a friend or foe. Friendship is one step towards peace. Being a foe will lead to more deaths and the destruction of Konohagakure. No one is safe._

_The Hokage's wife is under the Soul Paralysis jutsu, and only the casters can reverse it. Her chakra will run out soon enough, so I advise the Hokage to meet me soon in the Land of Mountains, between the Third and Fourth of the Seven Rocks to decide her fate. _

_I shall wait._

_Shinobi no Sukuinushi_

Sasuke urged Naruto to rest for the night so they can strategize the next morning. Naruto kept silent, unable to hear his friend's words.

"What the hell is happening?" he thought.

The four Anbu who arrived on the scene was equally shocked as Naruto after seeing the pile of dead bodies.

"How can these crimes happen right under our noses?" Naruto asked angrily, grabbing the grey-haired Anbu by the neck.

"We can't sense their chakra, Hokage-sama!" answered the trembling Anbu. "There were no signs of chakra in these parts of the village, that's why we weren't able to detect their presence."

"Naruto!" shouted Sasuke as he grasped Naruto's hand and removed it from the Anbu's neck. "There's no time for this! Go home and rest. A clear mind is better at making sound decisions."

Naruto regained his senses and placed his hand on the Anbu's shoulder.

"I apologize for my actions. I need your report by early tomorrow morning."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" replied the Anbu and started the investigation with his team.

"Let's get you home," said Sasuke, concerned about his friend's mental and emotional state.

Naruto nodded and went home with his friend.

"Let's meet tomorrow morning in your office. I'll come by here in your house first, just in case you're not in the mood to be Hokage tomorrow."

"Okay," answered Naruto.

Sasuke patted Naruto on the shoulder and left.

* * *

As soon as Ino regained consciousness, she dragged herself away from Sai's body. She wanted to run away as fast as she could, but her legs felt numb enough to stand or let alone run. It wasn't long when four masked shinobi wearing black hooded robes went inside their house. After one of them carried Sai on its back, they quickly left.

Ino forced herself to get up and ran upstairs to check on Inojin. Her son was sleeping soundly, unaware of the troubles that happened downstairs. A tired Ino sat on the floor, resting her back on the side of Inojin's bed. She thought about Sai's question.

_Have you ever thought of our fate as shinobi?_

Her recollections of the past swarmed her mind. She saw memories of her childhood and how she built her relationships with Sakura, Shikamaru, Choji, Asuma, Kurenai, Naruto, Hinata, and Sai. She wanted to know who she was, what she's done, and what is her destiny.

She kept on thinking about a lot of things until she tired herself out and fell asleep.

* * *

"Medic!" shouted Hiashi as he held on to Hinata's hand.

Two medic-nins came rushing and applied healing chakra on Hinata's chest at once. They knew it was a close one. Hinata's chakra depletion rate was getting higher and higher by the day. As the days passed by, the risk of her imminent death has increased. To prevent sudden death, Sakura instructed the medic-nins to replenish her chakra every four hours to normalize her chakra circulation.

"She will be all right, Hyuga-sama." comforted the medic-nin.

Hiashi's eyes teared up while looking at his beloved daughter. He knew that Hinata grew up in a motherless home and never received the love and support she needed as a child. The constant verbal abuse from him and the elders of the Hyuga clan caused Hinata to stay in her shell until she met Naruto. Hiashi appreciated the significant role the bratty kid played in his daughter's life. Even if Naruto was a bit dim in his younger days, his sheer determination and strong passion have passed on to Hinata. It inspired her to make herself better and forged her into a strong woman.

"I'm sorry for being too hard on you, my daughter," cried the old man. "My sense of discipline was wrong in many ways. I hope I would still have the chance to make it up to you. Get well soon, my darling Hinata. I want you to know that your father loves you, and will keep on loving you until his last breath."

* * *

Naruto hates to admit it, but Sasuke was right. Not only was Sasuke right about how he has to think of his destiny, he's also right that he didn't feel like being Hokage today. He went to Boruto's room to check on his two children. The sight of his children made him miss Hinata more.

"Hinata…" he whispered.

He entered the room and kissed their foreheads. As he knelt beside the bed, he thought about Sasuke's words to him last night while he looked at his children. A sudden realization dawned upon him. He understood that during his childhood, his ultimate goal was to become Hokage, for people to acknowledge him. As he grew up, he knew that being Hokage entails serious responsibilities. When he finally became Hokage, his goal was to protect the village at all costs. He knew he misunderstood what his destiny was when he thought that being Hokage was the pinnacle of his very existence.

"My children, I'm so sorry for my foolishness. I was blind with the selfish idea of being Hokage, which caused me to neglect my own family. The Hokage exists to protect the village, made up of people composed of families and individuals. Without families, there's no village. The Hokage won't mean anything if there's nothing and no one to protect. Now, I know what to do."

Naruto felt rejuvenated by his enlightenment, that he changed his mind and prepared to go to the office. He was about to write Boruto a note when he heard someone knock at the door.

"What the? Sasuke's early!" he thought.

It surprised him to see someone else when he opened the door.

"Ino! What are you doing here?" he asked.

"We need to talk," said Ino, pushing Naruto back while she entered the house.

The two sipped their Sencha tea as they prepared to hear each other out. Ino wanted to start so she let out a big sigh and spoke.

"I know everything," said Ino, her eyes looking straight into Naruto's eyes.

"Did Sai tell you anything? I thought I told him that the incident was confidential?"

"Yes, Sai told me a lot."

"Damn it, Sai." Naruto stood from his chair, clearly disappointed.

Naruto intently listened to Ino's every word, but she carefully left out a significant part. He was quick to admit his mistakes on his friendship with Sai.

"There's another thing you need to know," said Ino, her voice trembling.

"What is it?"

"Sai… he is… the Sukuinushi of Shinobi Kakumei-gun."

"What? I felt something was wrong, but I didn't dare to suspect Sai!" Naruto could've sworn his soul left his body for a while. He felt hurt and betrayed. One of his trusted friends even ordered the attack on Hinata. He finds it unbelievable and ridiculous at the same time.

Ino shared what she learned about the revolutionary group with Naruto, and that Sai asked her to join him.

"So, what's it going to be?" asked Naruto.

There was a momentary silence.

"I'm Ino Yamanaka, the daughter of Inoichi Yamanaka. The Yamanaka has been a part of Konohagakure for many generations. I, a shinobi of Konohagakure and the head of Yamanaka clan, will stand and protect the village, regardless of the enemy I shall face." Ino bravely answered with tears running down her cheeks.

Naruto was amazed at Ino's disposition, and she has gained his respect. Here was a true shinobi of Konohagakure, more than determined to protect the village even against her husband. He knew how much she loved Sai, so it didn't take enough for him to figure out she was in great pain. Naruto moved closer to her and gave her a comforting embrace.

"Don't worry, Ino. I won't promise you anything, but I'll do my best to bring Sai back to us."

Ino cried hard as she heard Naruto's words. She gave him a tight embrace and kissed his cheek. "You are a good friend, Naruto. Everyone is so lucky to have you in their lives. I will remember this for as long as I live."

Naruto looked in her eyes and smiled. "Everything's going to be okay."

* * *

Shikamaru was already in the Hokage's office when Naruto arrived.

"I heard the news about last night's explosion," he said. "The Anbu will be here at any moment now."

Naruto went straight to his desk and sat on his chair. "This will be over soon, I promise."

"So, what's your plan?" asked Sasuke as he entered the room.

"We will discuss the plans after we receive the…"

"Hokage-sama!" the Anbu appeared and interrupted. "Here is the report from last night's investigation."

"Proceed."

"We have already identified the bodies. They came from two civilian families in our village. The was a total of eight bodies recovered. One adult male, one adult female, two teen females, and one young male were said to be from the Gekko family. One adult male, one adult female, and one infant female were said to be from the Hoshi family. Witnesses described the perpetrators as masked shinobi in black hooded robes. They wore Kohime Noh masks to hide their identity. They can hide their chakra to prevent detection, and they travel in groups of four. In last night's attack, it involved an estimated total of sixteen suspects. There were unverified reports saying that the Soul Paralysis jutsu's reversal is by killing the casters, though we are not sure yet if the information is true."

"I see. Is there anything else I need to know?"

"That's all for now, Hokage-sama."

"Very well. You may go."

"Hai, Hokage-sama!"

Naruto sighed and stood from his chair.

"Shikamaru, I need a team to accompany me to Nana-iwa in Yama no Kuni."

"You're going to leave the village at a time like this? Who's going to be in charge while you're gone?"

Naruto looked at Sasuke.

"Why the hell are you looking at me?"


	4. Different Motives

_Naruto is owned by and copyrighted by Masashi Kishimoto. No copyright infringement intended._

_Author's Note: We have been in quarantine for three weeks now due to the coronavirus spread. Getting your physical, mental and financial positions in check was a pain. I hope everyone stays safe and if you or someone you know is sick of the virus, I hope you get well soon. Lots of love to all of you!_

* * *

"He's awake," a voice whispered.

Sai opened his eyes to the sight of a room with rough rock walls. Three thick candles on the small table beside his bed lit the unpleasant room. He noticed the smell of damp rock, which makes his throat go dry most of the time. A crooked, small tin pail of water was on top of a much bigger table with jagged edges. Near the table was a dark brown wooden cabinet, its damp parts emanating a musty odor. He groaned and held his chest while he tried to sit on his bed.

"Don't be in a rush to move, Sukuinushi-sama."

Sai forced himself to sit on his bed to look at the young woman assisting him. Her fair skin and long, dark brown hair showed the delicate beauty she inherited from the Hyuga clan.

"Why are you still here, Hikari?" asked Sai, trying to get her to share her thoughts.

Hikari walked towards the closet and took a small piece of cloth. She picked up the pail of water as she went back and knelt beside Sai's bed.

"Why ask such a thing?" she replied, soaking the towel in the cold water. She was about to clean Sai's face with the wet cloth when he grabbed her arm to stop her.

"I'm asking you a question!" snapped Sai, his eyes revealing a crimson band around the edge of both irises.

Hikari saw the change in his eyes and smiled.

"So, you're finally back. We've already talked about this before, remember? Let me refresh your memory." She stood and leaned towards him, kissing his lips as water from the wet cloth dripped on his neck.

* * *

Fifteen Years Ago

Sai felt the chilling wind on his face as he walked the streets of Tobari no Sato. Shijima no Kuni's capital has changed little after Gengo's arrest, the shops still looked stale as before, and the roads are as dull as ever. There were talks that the new Feudal Lord aims to improve the village's economy, a very welcome change in a place such as this. As he walked further, he saw and approached four people wearing black hooded robes standing in an alleyway. One of them acknowledged him and gestured to its companions that it's time to get going. Upon reaching the northern end of the village, his four robed companions left him in front of an old house. A beautiful, pale-skinned woman with long, dark brown hair greeted him and ushered him inside the house. The woman's slender body made her appear much taller, though she was just as tall as he is.

"They're waiting for you," said the woman, knocking thrice before pushing the brown door open.

Sai nodded and entered the room.

The meeting ended after four hours, and the sun was already setting in the west. Sai was preparing his return to Konohagakure when he saw the brown-haired woman outside the house, waiting for everyone to leave. He walked outside and never said a word as he started his journey back.

"Sukuinushi-sama," the woman called to him.

"What is it?"

"It's getting dark real soon. I suggest you spend the night here in the village, with you being tired and all," coaxed the woman, her onyx eyes fixed on Sai.

Sai knew the woman was right. The path to Konohagakure is dangerous, and traveling alone in the dark wasn't the best idea.

"Do you know a place where I can stay for the night?"

"I know a place near the outskirts of the village. There's a ryokan called the Sunosamitto."

"Thank you." Sai nodded and started his way to the inn.

"I could accompany you if you wish. There's nothing to do much around here anyway."

Sai was already wondering if the woman was a spy. Her beauty and charm could prove useful if she uses it to gain an advantage over some naïve shinobi.

"If she is a spy, I have no choice but to end her life," thought Sai. He nodded, and the woman smiled at his approval.

"Oh, I forgot something," said the woman, rushing back to the house. When she came back, he handed a dark-gray hooded robe to him. "The revolution has begun. It's time to keep it low."

Sai thanked her for the robe and wore it at once.

"Let's go."

After a twenty-minute walk, they arrived at the ryokan. An old lady in the reception area greeted them and asked how she could be of assistance. The relaxing sound of the koto playing and the soothing aroma of Hojicha eased Sai. Two elegant long leather sofas and four plush relaxing chairs on the lounge at the left side of the lobby was too inviting.

"Take a seat. I'll handle this," smiled the woman.

Sai went towards the lounge and rested on the soft single-seat chair, staring at the woman while she talked to the old lady.

The woman smiled as she showed him the keys to the room.

"Now, you can rest properly," she said, pulling Sai from the chair. "Follow me."

"Lady, what's your name?" Sai asked the woman while they walk in a narrow corridor towards the room.

"Hikari Kohinata."

Sai's eyes widened upon hearing the name Kohinata. This explains why she looks like a Hyuga, but her eyes were of an onyx color. He was curious about the woman, wanting to learn everything he could about her.

The room was lovely and welcoming. The tatami floor's fresh scent makes one want to settle down and do nothing. Inside, there was a wooden bed with its white pillows and blankets arranged neatly. The bathroom was small but decent enough. Hikari went ahead and opened the cabinet and took out a pair of yukata.

"You need to wear this," said Hikari, handing out a yukata to Sai.

Sai took the robe and went inside the bathroom. While he was cleaning himself up, he heard Hikari talking to the old lady who was making sure if everything was fine.

Hikari placed a bottle of sake and two sakazuki cups on the small table outside the patio. She then asked Sai to sit and poured him a drink. He did a quick sip and looked at Hikari.

"So, what is your story?" he asked.

"My story doesn't matter," she replied, sitting down on the chair across Sai.

"It's bothersome to think I might fend off an angry boyfriend or husband at some point."

"That will not happen," she laughed.

"When was the last time you've visited Konohagakure?"

Hikari took another sip of her sake. "I left the village when I was twelve."

"Why are you here? Why do you support the revolution?"

Hikari took a deep breath. "I don't want my family to go through what I had. My grandfather was also a shinobi of Konohagakure, an Anbu."

"Mukai Kohinata."

"He's the one."

"He was a powerful shinobi. He almost defeated both Shisui and Itachi Uchiha in a single battle, two of the strongest Uchihas. In the end, it didn't go well for him."

"All he ever wanted was to keep his family safe," answered Hikari, clenching her fists. "Yes, he spied for Kirigakure because he wanted to leave the village with his son and escape being persecuted by the Hyugas."

"The Anbu eliminated him for spying against Konohagakure."

"He spied for another country because he can't bear being looked down on by the Hyugas. Those treacherous, conceited monsters!"

"So, you want to take revenge?"

"No. I want someone to protect my family."

"I thought you were alone. Where is your family?"

"I want someone to protect my future family. I promised myself that if I fail to find someone who can, the Kohinata bloodline will die with me."

She poured another drink for him and moved her chair beside his. Sai drank his sake and leaned back to look at the stars.

"The wind is cold, and the stars are bright," he smiled.

"It sure is," Hikari answered while she moved towards him and snuggled on his chest. "I promise to support you and the revolution. I want you to be my protector, Sukuinushi-sama."

The sake's power and the irresistible beauty in front of him were too much for Sai to overcome. In a few moments, he felt Hikari's soft lips pressing against his. He felt her warm body leaning on him as they continued to taste each other. Hikari stopped suddenly and took his hand, leading him to the bedroom.

"You're mine tonight."

* * *

Present Day

Sai's memory came back after temporarily losing it during Ino's attempt to rescue the weakling inside his mind. He broke Hikari's kiss and gazed at her.

"For fifteen years, you stayed and never left me," he stated, letting go of her arm.

"That's because I gave you a promise on the first time we met," she answered while she continued to wipe the wet cloth on Sai's face.

He gazed at the candlelight as he recalled the time he met her. She admired his determination, and she even promised him she will never leave until the day he succeeds and settles down with her. She believes that only he could protect her and her future family. He never agreed to settle down with Hikari, but he enjoyed her warm presence and beautiful appearance. Having her beside him doesn't need too much of a thought, for she gives him a sense of comfort whenever she's there.

Sai felt her delicate hands caress his face as she stood and returned the tin pail on the table. He watched as she moved towards the cabinet and opened it, pulling out a dark-gray robe.

"You should get ready. The meeting is about to start," smiled Hikari, handing the robe to him.

"Thank you," he answered.

* * *

"Sasuke, I want you to act as the Hokage during my absence," said Naruto.

"I think the Feudal Lords won't approve the sudden change in leadership," argued Shikamaru.

"I don't have to be the Hokage to act like one, Shikamaru," said Sasuke.

"Sasuke is right," agreed Naruto. "Shikamaru, you will be the official acting Hokage while I'm gone. Sasuke can act as the other Hokage by protecting the village while he's here."

"I understand. I'll assemble a team for you at once."

Shikamaru left the Hokage's office, leaving the two friends to work on a strategy for the success of Naruto's mission.

"I need to take Sai back alive," said Naruto. "I promised Ino that I would."

"What if things go bad?"

"I'll knock him out cold to bring him back. He won't make it easy for me, though."

"It sounds like an old story that I know," smirked Sasuke.

"Yeah, I'll bring him home too."

* * *

Sakura checked on Hinata to make sure her vitals were okay. She reminded the medic-nins to do their rounds without fail to maintain Hinata's stable condition. After saying goodbye to Hiashi, she went home. She was by the hospital gate when Ino called out to her.

"Hey, do you have time?"

"Uh, for what?"

"I need to talk to you," Ino whimpered while she held on to Sakura's arms.

"Okay. Let's go to Yakiniku Q."

Ino nodded, and the two started walking.

Sakura chose a table at the end of the joint so both of them can talk in private.

"How're things going on your end, Ino?" asked Sakura, hoping that Ino would tell her what's bothering her.

"How is Hinata?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know everything, Sakura."

"I see. She's doing okay, but we need to replenish her chakra every four hours to keep her vitals stable."

"I can't believe the pain Naruto is experiencing right now," sobbed Ino. She told Sakura everything she discovered inside Sai's memories. Her story horrified Sakura.

"That's unbelievable!"

"I know. I still can't believe that Sai would order an attack on Hinata."

"Did you tell Naruto about the woman?"

"No."

The food arrived, and Ino started grilling some barbecue. Sakura poured her tea, feeling bad for her friend.

"What are you planning?" asked Sakura.

"I want to atone for Sai's sins by helping Naruto. I'll do whatever it takes."

"What about Sai? What happens when Naruto brings him back?"

"I don't know yet. I lost faith and trust in him. But I asked Naruto to bring him back. I want him to answer for his deeds."

Sakura held her hand.

"You're one of my oldest friends. I'll be here to help you in any way I can. Just reach out."

"Thank you, Sakura. Please try your best to find a cure for Hinata. Keep her safe."

"You can count on me," smiled Sakura.

* * *

The girl talk helped Ino release the awful feeling from her chest. She can't help but think about the woman she saw from Sai's memories. It's not like they were already together when he met her. What annoys her was that the woman was always with him whenever he was in Nana-iwa and Shijima no Kuni. She felt jealous and betrayed. She loved him with all her heart and accepted him without questions or doubt.

"I need to be strong, no matter how unfavorable the circumstances are," thought Ino.

She entered the bedroom and laid on the bed. How would she and Inojin fare now that Sai is a rebel of Konohagakure?

"Mom?"

"Oh. Hi, Inojin!"

"Where's Dad?" asked Inojin.

"He's on a mission. Come here, you," answered Ino, extending her arms towards him.

Inojin laid beside his mom, clueless of his Dad's issues.

"Everything will be okay," she whispered and gave the boy a tight embrace. "I'll always be here for you."

The night was coming, and Ino knows that she has to decide fast and take action the next morning. She closed her eyes, hoping to wake up from this nightmare.

* * *

"Everything is prepared. Let's end this madness, once and for all," declared Naruto.

Sasuke nodded and stared at the four Anbu shinobi Shikamaru provided for the Hokage's mission.

"We need to be careful," said Shikamaru. "Getting caught by the Soul Paralysis jutsu is fatal. Using shadow clones will only increase the risk of getting caught. These shinobi are the best in their specific fields, making them more exceptional than their other black ops comrades. Tora has excellent leadership skills and can make team adjustments in every situation. Tatsu is a reliable shinobi thanks to his incredible stamina and ability to store energy and use it efficiently. Ushi is a master of the art of defense, using jutsu that enhances his and his comrade's resistance to jutsu attacks. He can also reduce the enemies' attack capabilities. Usagi is a skilled stealth Anbu scout that can cloak his and his comrade's chakra presence and lower it to the same level as an ordinary person."

Naruto recognized Tora, the Anbu with the same mask as Yamato's.

"Excellent," said Naruto. "Sasuke, please look after the village while I'm gone."

"I'll do my best to protect Konohagakure within its walls for now," answered Sasuke.

"Okay, then. We will leave tomorrow at dawn."

* * *

Naruto held Hinata's hand while sitting beside her bed. He missed his wife terribly and hopes she gets well real soon. He needs to act fast so they can undo the jutsu.

"You're going home soon, love. Boruto and Himawari miss you so much. I'm dying to be with you," he whispered to his wife.

Tears fell down his face, but he quickly wiped it off.

"Naruto, there's something that our investigators found out," said Hiashi. "There's a piece of unverified information that a Hyuga was involved in the attack."

"A Hyuga attacked Hinata?"

"The Hyuga wasn't the one who attacked, but was a member of a revolutionary group that aims to rebuild Konohagakure's government."

"Why would a Hyuga attack one of their own, let alone Hinata? Everyone knows she's from the main branch."

"Aside from the former issues of the Hyuga main and side branch families, there was also this issue with unrecognized people with Hyuga blood. We pride ourselves in preserving our bloodline pure unless a certain situation calls for a different path. We dismissed those who did not exercise marriage within the clan. They could not carry the Hyuga name any longer. Their abilities remain, but their children rarely possess the Hyuga's prized Byakugan."

"Do these people still bother the Hyugas?"

"No. The last time we had problems was a long time ago. It was with Mukai Kohinata."

"Yeah, I've heard of him. Who would have thought he could awaken and use the Byakugan in one eye."

"The clan secretly reached an agreement between Kirigakure to deceive Mukai to spy for them. Their interest in anyone who is even "part-Hyuga" is great. I recall one of their Anbu named Ao defeated one of ours in battle and collected one Byakugan eye to replace his. Getting Mukai's body is in Kirigakure's best interest. To us, it was the perfect way to eradicate the bloodline of former Hyugas. We were confident that no matter what extraction they make, it won't cause any threat to the Hyugas. We also made a deal with Danzo since Mukai was an Anbu. Danzo has shown much interest in Shisui Uchiha and said he wanted to test his abilities. That deal has forfeited Mukai's life. After almost costing the lives of two of Konohagakure's essential shinobi, we stopped this disgraceful and tasteless act. However, some descendants are determined to take down a Hyuga anytime."

"I'll get to the bottom of this," promised Naruto. "Whatever action or decision we make, there are always consequences we have to face. What matters is how we react and what we do with the consequences."

"The Hyugas will be with you in this battle," vowed Hiashi, putting his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "You don't have to ask for help, even if you think you don't need any."

Naruto smiled and nodded. The two continued to discuss how they would deal with their issues when the door suddenly opened.

"Naruto! Hiashi-sama," Sakura called out as she rushed inside, catching her breath.

"Is there a problem, Sakura?" asked Naruto.

"No," replied Sakura. "Last week, I sent a message to Lady Tsunade. She replied and said she knew how to fix Hinata's condition. Unfortunately, she won't be able to come back to check on her since she's on a remote island, and no transport is available for the next three weeks. She said there's a certain plant that we can use as an ingredient to produce a cure, but it's extremely rare."

"That's wonderful news!" exclaimed Naruto. "At least we have options."

"Don't celebrate just yet. Knowing the cure is good, but getting it is another story. Time isn't on our side. We need to decide and act as fast as we can."

Naruto was ready to listen.

"Okay. Tell us what we need to know."


End file.
